M-1 T2 Skull - 20 Years Later

[PHArchivist]

One of my earliest prop acquisitions - M-1 licensed T2 Endo Skull kit, cast in vinyl; purchased it from Monsters In Motion probably over twenty years ago.

Core of the kit build was interlocking PVC pipe; one locked in the skull with resin, the other in the neck.

I had stuffed the rest of skull with plastic shopping bags.

After completing the build, I had Art Craft (the shop that did the plating for the original film props) plate the skull. The processed incorporated some form of blue-green liquid, (not sure what for), and much of the liquid remained trapped inside the skull, and this thing seeped aqua liquid constantly over the years.

Two weeks ago, I shipped it from CA to TX, and it was on its side in the box.

TWENTY years later, this think is still leaking blue-green fluid...!

 

[13doctorwho]

That's hydraulic fluid from battle damage... go with it...

 

[Knightmare]

Really nice plate job beside the goo lol . It looks a lot like the Icons that was undersized yours looks more 1/1 .

 

[PHArchivist]

Really nice plate job beside the goo lol . It looks a lot like the Icons that was undersized yours looks more 1/1 .

M-1 seems a tad small, but I think its an illusion based in presentation (no neck pistons; low-laying base).

I believe overall consensus was that it indeed was 1:1.


Beyond the goo, the skull has weathered over the years. It is no longer the bright shiny chrome you'll find in the engine compartment of a '32 three-window Ford at a Sunday car show.

Not sure if I like it or not... Might polish it; might not...

 

[The 48th Ronin]

After completing the build, I had Art Craft (the shop that did the plating for the original film props) plate the skull. The processed incorporated some form of blue-green liquid, (not sure what for), and much of the liquid remained trapped inside the skull, and this thing seeped aqua liquid constantly over the years.

Electroplating is done in tanks of liquid. The first step (because your skull was plastic) would have been to paint it with a special paint that has a high copper particle content - this would make it conductive and would enable a layer of copper to then be deposited on the surface, as the first stage of the process. The rest of the process would have been very much like this:

 

[gizmo]

Beautiful!!

Ben

 

[Too Much Garlic]

The M1, due to being vinyl is unevenly shrunk from 1:1, most notably in the top part of the skull, sadly. The jaw is more correct to 1:1 as far as I've heard, due to it being more compact with lots of detail to keep its shape.

The chrome job looks to be the best I've seen on an endo skull in years. Not the overly bright and mirror like chrome seen on many reproductions, which is completely wrong for the T1 and T2 skulls. If you want to add more accuracy, then give it a wash of flat black so the recesses fill with it, and then wipe off the surface. You can see it in the authentic T1 style skull below.

 

[PHArchivist]

Electroplating is done in tanks of liquid. The first step (because your skull was plastic) would have been to paint it with a special paint that has a high copper particle content - this would make it conductive and would enable a layer of copper to then be deposited on the surface, as the first stage of the process. The rest of the process would have been very much like this:

That all sounds familiar now...

Not sure if Art Craft would have done the job knowing that the model construction would have trapped the fluid inside.

 

[PHArchivist]

The M1, due to being vinyl is unevenly shrunk from 1:1, most notably in the top part of the skull, sadly. The jaw is more correct to 1:1 as far as I've heard, due to it being more compact with lots of detail to keep its shape.

The chrome job looks to be the best I've seen on an endo skull in years. Not the overly bright and mirror like chrome seen on many reproductions, which is completely wrong for the T1 and T2 skulls. If you want to add more accuracy, then give it a wash of flat black so the recesses fill with it, and then wipe off the surface. You can see it in the authentic T1 style skull below.

That is largely due to real-world weathering...

Mainly household dust, which is largely organic in nature (and not the most inert stuff in the world. I rarely dusted, and don't believe ever used a chrome polish on the skull.

Then there is the leakage of the copper fluid, which adds more real-world staining...


The skull indeed was artificially shiny early on (and does have black accents now).

These were from 2005

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Even the older pictures show that darker polished steel look to the chrome, rather than the silvery mirror chrome most uses. Looks damn fine.

 

[The 48th Ronin]

Not sure if Art Craft would have done the job knowing that the model construction would have trapped the fluid inside.

I wouldn't think so - I can't imagine that it would be good to get that stuff on you.

 

[PHArchivist]

Even the older pictures show that darker polished steel look to the chrome, rather than the silvery mirror chrome most uses. Looks damn fine.

Thank you kind sir!

To this day, I still want to add neck pistons and braided hose. But then again, the absences sort of helps define the M-1.

 

[PHArchivist]

I wouldn't think so - I can't imagine that it would be good to get that stuff on you.

We'll just call it canon - Cyberdyne must have used an aqua-color hi-tech futuristic oil in their machines...

How's that!?

 

[Funky]

That's hydraulic fluid from battle damage... go with it...

I totally agree with this. Maybe not on the teeth, but I think the ooze looks great on the skull. I think it adds another layer of color that makes sense…but that’s me.

 

[IFA]

I can see a BG Viper which looks cool

 

[Apollo]

Still looks great!

You still trapped in Texas?

 

[MattgomeryBurns]

When I had ArtCraft gold plate my replica Riddler cane a few years ago they required that it was primed with automotive quality primer before I brought it. Not sure if that had anything to do with yours?

 

[PHArchivist]

That's hydraulic fluid from battle damage... go with it...

LOL I missed this earlier...!

 

[PHArchivist]

I can see a BG Viper which looks cool

SO long ago..

 

[PHArchivist]

Still looks great!

You still trapped in Texas?

Yes...

Death Star, PH T2 life-sized action figure, and much more of my collection remain in California..

Here's my current "prop room":